🦝Raccoon

Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758)

The raccoon, sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon to distinguish it from other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 40 to 70 cm, and a body weight of 5 to 26 kg. Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur, which insulates it against cold weather. The animal's most distinctive features include its extremely dexterous front paws, its facial mask, and its ringed tail, which are common themes in the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas surrounding the species. The raccoon is noted for its intelligence, and studies show that it can remember the solution to tasks for at least three years. It is usually nocturnal and omnivorous, eating about 40% invertebrates, 33% plants, and 27% vertebrates.

Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Videos

419

Photos

Measurements

vs you

≈ 1/12th of your weight

Also called

Common Raccoon, Northern raccoon, Northern Raccoon, raccoon, northern raccoon

Conservation status

LCLeast concern

IUCN Red List assessment, 2016.

Population trendIncreasing

Key measurements

Body mass: 5.08 kg
Body length: 0.6 m
Shoulder height: 0.3 m
Top speed: not recorded
Bite force: not recorded
Maximum lifespan: 21 years

All measurements ↓

Facts and figures

Everything we know about the Raccoon

Typical adult figures. Where a value is an estimate rather than a measurement, it says so.

Body mass

5.08 kg

COMBINE

Other figures ↓

Source: COMBINE · v1 (Soria et al. 2021) · CC BY 4.0

Figures vary

6 kgAnAgeAnAge build 15, 2023-07-03 (HAGR)data quality: acceptable

Body length

0.6 m

COMBINE

Details ↓

Source: COMBINE · v1 (Soria et al. 2021) · CC BY 4.0

Shoulder height

0.3 mat the shoulder

Details ↓

"Height: 12 in. at the shoulder" (profile also gives length 1 1/2-3 1/2 ft, weight 8-25 lbs). Point value, no range; published agency/extension figures vary (Univ. of Arizona Extension states about 16 in), so treat as approximate. ADW and Mammalian Species give no height.

Source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Raccoon Wildlife Profile, https://www.ncwildlife.gov/media/2231/open · see citation

Brain mass

42 g

COMBINE

Details ↓

Source: COMBINE · v1 (Soria et al. 2021) · CC BY 4.0

Maximum lifespan

21 years

COMBINE

Other figures ↓

Source: COMBINE · v1 (Soria et al. 2021) · CC BY 4.0